Thursday, March 10, 2016
New Shuttle SZ170R8 Mini-PC Supports Large Graphics Cards and Four Hard Disks

Up to now mini-PCs have been designed
in classic cube format for three drives, normally two hard disks/SSDs
and an optical drive. A new type of case is being launched today that
breaks through these restrictions.

The Shuttle SZ170R8 in R8 case design
accommodates four 3.5" drives and does away with the need for an
optical drive bay.

This structural modification also enables larger graphics cards to be
installed. More free space has been created inside the aluminium case.
This has also resulted in benefits in terms of easier installation,
better cooling and increased compatibility with very large graphics
cards.

With four possible hard disks in the SZ170R8, reliable cooling of the
machine is of course vital. The heatpipe-based cooling system has
therefore been expanded to include a second fan fitted to the front of
the case. This device sucks in fresh air through a large opening in
the front panel and directs it over all four hard disks, thus
preventing a build-up of heat.

Another feature of the R8 design, which immediately catches the eye,
is the increased number of larger vents on either side
of the machine. This change is a response to the more demanding
requirements of modern graphics cards. Dual-slot cards with large
heatsinks and powerful fans now receive more fresh air and work more
reliably and quietly.

Despite all the modifications, the external dimensions of the new
model have remained the same, measuring 33.2 x 21.6 x 19.8 cm (DWH).

The installation of graphics/expansion cards in the two PCI-Express
slots is made easier thanks to a detachable locking device on the rear
opening. The SZ170R8 features 1x PCI-Express-x16-3.0, 1x
PCI-Express-x4-3.0, 1x M.2-2280 (PCIe, SATA, NVMe) and 1x
Mini-PCI-Express-x1-2.0 (half size).

The mainboard developed and pre-installed by Shuttle is equipped with
an Intel Z170 chipset and supports 6th generation Intel Core
processors (TDP max. 95 W). It accommodates 4x DDR4 memory slots up to
a total of 64 GB and has an M.2 slot e.g. for PCIe-SSDs. Further
features include 2x DisplayPort, HDMI, 4x SATA 6 Gbit/s with RAID,
eSATA, 8x USB 3.0, 7.1 audio and Intel Gigabit Ethernet.

The power supply comes from a 500 W, 80-PLUS-certified power unit,
which constantly provides the SZ170R8 with sufficient energy to meet
the requirements of a fully-equipped machine.

Optional accessories include a 2.5" HDD/SSD installation frame (PHD3),
COM port (H-RS232) as well as WLN-C and WLN-M WLAN modules.